There were tears of joy for some candidates as the ruling New Patriotic Parties (NPP) held its delegates’ conference over the weekend to select regional officers to steer the affairs of the party in the next four years.
Some incumbent regional executives were shown the exit by the delegates in the crucial primaries held in the regions.
However, the delegates in the Northern and the Upper West Regions are expected to vote next weekend and today respectively.
The contests in the Central and the Brong-Ahafo Regions were ongoing as at press time yesterday.
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There were rumours that the Volta Region NPP would not take part in the primaries because of a last-minute court injunction on the exercise, but information reaching DAILY GUIDE indicated that the delegates were able to vote at Hohoe.
Key positions that were up for grabs included Chairman, 1st and 2nd Vice Chairman, Organizer, Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Women’s Organizer, Youth Organizer, Treasurer and Nasara Coordinator.
Ashanti Region
From the NPP’s stronghold of Ashanti Region, I.F. Joe Awuah Jnr., and Ernest Kofi Adu report from Ejura that Regional Chairman Bernard Antwi-Boasiako aka Chairman Wontumi, who went unopposed, was re-elected with 908 votes.
Regional Secretary of the party, Samuel Pyne, also retained his position unopposed after his challenger, Kwaku Atta Sarpong, had withdrawn from the contest at the eleventh hour.
In all, 37 staunch party members vied for the various regional positions and in the Regional First Vice Chairman race, Kwabena Nsenkyire – Regional NADMO Coordinator – emerged winner with 411 votes and Samuel Cudjoe, former Regional Secretary, polled 360 votes to become the 2nd Vice Chairman.
Nana Ama Ampomaa, Regional Women’s Organizer, managed to retain her position after polling 473 votes as against 408 votes secured by her challenger, Beatrice Owusu, whilst Francis Adomako became the Regional Organizer with 399 votes, followed by Riches Oscar with 357, Daniel Boateng, 90, Enoch Kwaku Boateng, 36, Felix Appiah Gyambibi 11.
Nelson Owusu secured the Youth Organizer post with 390 votes after shrugging off a challenge from Kwaku Frimpong, 53 votes, Dennis Kwakwa 8, Ohemeng Ian Moore, 8 and Michael Ofori Akuoko 77.
For the position of Treasurer, Hajia Zainab Sallow polled 737 votes to beat Hagar Asante whilst Salim Mansuru Bamba was declared winner of Nasara Coordinator after beating competitors like Alhaji Hallaru, Mohammed Abdul Hamid, Iddrisu Abdul Kadir, Zachariah Osman and Fawaz Abdul Ganiyu.
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Asawase Seat
In his address, Chairman Wontumi gave the assurance that he would lead the NPP to capture the Asawase seat which has always been retained by the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).
He also stated that the other two ‘orphan’ seats – Sekyere Afram Plains and Ejura, which are also being held by the NDC, “will all fall for the ruling NPP during the 2020 polls so that the NPP would be in-charge of all the 47 seats in the Ashanti Region.”
Chairman Wontumi explained that the decision to hold the Ashanti Regional elections at Ejura, which is an NDC seat, formed part of what he called “calculated strategy by the NPP to snatch the three seats of the NDC in the region,” urging the party faithful to be united, committed and work hard.
Western Region
From Tarkwa in the Western Region, Emmanuel Opoku reports that four incumbents were retained by the delegates.
The four were Assistant Secretary Samuel Kofi Abiaw, Regional Secretary Charles Bissue, Regional Organizer Abdul Ganiyu Mohammed and Women’s Organizer Golly Antwi-Bosiako.
A 2016 First Vice Chairman, Francis Ndede Siah, who contested among three others for the Chairman’s position, won massively while three other contenders, Benjamin Armah, Frank Etti and Nana Owusu Ankomah, a former chairman, garnered 160, 73 and 31 respectively.
The remaining five newly elected regional executives are: Nana Kumi Andah (1st Vice Chair), Ishmael Whajah (2nd Vice Chair), Horma Akasi Mienzah (Treasurer), Benedict Addae (Youth Organiser) and Al- Labib Shaman (Nasara Coordinator).
In all, 43 candidates contested for the 10 various positions in the regional.
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The election was supervised by the Western Regional Director of the Electoral Commission (EC), Steve Opoku Mensah.
Volta Region
Fred Duodu reports from the Volta Region that there were surprises when Makafui Kofi Woanya beat three other contenders to become the Regional Chairman of the party.
Emmanuel Korsi Bodja beat his closest contender, Divine Bosson – the Regional NADMO Coordinator- to become the Regional Organiser.
The incumbent Regional Secretary, Joseph Homenya, retained his position while Joseph Dente, the incumbent treasurer, also retained his position.
Other winners were Kofi Adjei Ntim, 1st Vice Chairman; Abdallah Mohammed Sadiq, 2nd Vice Chairman and Joshua Makubu, Assistant Secretary.
The rest are Afi Gyagbo, Women’s Organiser;
King David Ninkab Nkabonam, Youth Organiser and Aliu Bashiru Shaributu, Nasara Coordinator.
Brong-Ahafo
From the Brong Ahafo Region, Daniel Y. Dayee reports that the EC in the region yesterday boycotted the election due to a supposed court injunction filed by some constituency executives from Atebubu.
The applicants, Samuel Tinganti, Majeed and another whose name was simply given as Solomon, applied to the high court to restrain the Atebubu delegates from voting because the constituency election was improperly organized.
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The notice of motion was served on the regional acting chairman, the EC and the Election Committee of the party two days to the elections.
Member of Parliament (MP) for Sunyani East, who doubles as majority chief whip in parliament, Kwasi Ameyaw Kyeremeh, reminded the delegates that it is only the EC that is mandated to supervise party elections and, therefore without it (EC) no results could be upheld.
Chairman of the NPP regional election committee, Kwasi Adu-Gyan, said congress is the highest decision-making body in the region and so could decide whether to continue with the elections or not.
Later at 3pm, a decision was reached to allow the process to go on despite EC’s boycott.
Tears and joy at NPP Regional Polls
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